


Cheers, King

by LegolasLovely



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Grumpy Thorin, Pre-Quest of Erebor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:22:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23262403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LegolasLovely/pseuds/LegolasLovely
Summary: Thorin is not sure about the human woman who has recently joined the company.
Relationships: Thorin Oakenshield/Reader
Kudos: 54





	Cheers, King

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the song "Maiden On The Shore." I grew up with the Glengarry Bhoys version!

Thorin eyed her. If he set aside every gut feeling presently screaming at him, he could see how the human woman could be a good addition to the company. He’d seen her skills with a sword when they found her two days ago, fighting off a small orc pack on her own. That was when he’d tried to help her and she had shoved him away, saying she could defend herself; before Gandalf threatened her, telling her she must join the company.

Thorin didn’t know what convinced her, but sure enough, she was now sitting with Fíli and Kíli a table over, enjoying the ale the tavern offered. Thorin tried to ignore her and relish in the ale, warm fire, and greasy food- things he may not have again until Erebor was reclaimed, but he couldn’t focus on anything but her.

The chair creaked as Thorin leaned back into it and set his folded hands in his lap, eyeing her shadowed face in the dark corner of the tavern. She looked smug. Brows pointed and smirk shining as if she already felt like she belonged. And maybe she did, Kíli was already laughing at something she’d said.

“Thorin, another ale for ye?”

Thorin barely turned to Dwalin. “No. Just the one is fine,” he said. The disappointed server- a tall, ever smiling human woman- crossed in front of him, momentarily blocking his view. “Is every tavern around here run by humans? Is there not at least a hobbit pub nearby we could have gone to instead? We should have stayed another night in the Shire.”

“Thorin. Enjoy the ale while you can, hm?” Balin said, bumping Thorin’s arm.

Thorin hummed, turning his attention back to the woman with his nephews. She whistled, clapping for the small band of musicians in the corner who had just finished their song. The main voice of the group weaved through the tables to (Y/N), beckoning her to the small stage. It was impossible to hear the conversation shared between the two humans over the hoots and cheers, but Thorin saw her shaking her head vigorously and holding her hands out. He read her lips saying, “No, no!” but they soon spread into a reluctant smile as Kíli pushed her to stand and the musician led her forward.

“First she slices orc hide like no human I’ve seen and now she sings too?” Balin said into Thorin’s ear. “What other talents is she hiding?”

“Good question,” Thorin said, downing the last of his ale. 

They’d missed the introduction, but Thorin guessed (Y/N) had sung at the tavern before. The fiddle slowed it’s usual tune and the soft, steady beat of the drum sent her and her audience swaying to the waves of music. Only when it sounded, did Thorin notice they’d handed her a small tambourine to play as she sang. It tapped against her thigh, trousers dampening the bright sound to match the solemn song. She closed her eyes and began to sing of a young maiden who lived alone on the shore and the sea captain who wanted her for his own.

The torches on the wall around the stage left the rest of the tavern dark, like dusk over a still lake. From barely making out her features at the table, now Thorin watched (Y/N)’s face shine bright in the light. It waved over her hair as she threw her braid over her shoulder, cascaded over her high brow as it creased and lifted with her tune, shadowed over her lips that looked even more tantalizing in the night. Thorin was permitted to stare because her own eyes were closed.

Her free hand flew out, delicate fingers leading the musicians and they followed like supplicants after their messiah. The song shifted into a lull of long lines and soaring melody as the captive maiden sang the sailors to sleep. (Y/N)’s lips closed tight to hum the verse and Thorin was drawn in, leaning forward in his seat to hear the thinned sound.

If he closed his eyes he could have drowned. Voice, limbs, breath, hair- all waves pulling him down into danger and ease and freedom and darkness when suddenly, her tambourine sounded and her humming turned to words.

_Then she robbed him of silver, she robbed him of gold.  
She robbed him of costly ware-o.  
She took his broad sword instead of an ore  
And paddled her way to the shore, shore, shore,  
And paddled her way to the shore._

(Y/N)’s eyes had flown open wide and she was smiling, singing loudly of deception and evil. Her foot stomped with the beat as the maiden laughed at the captain, resuming her life alone on the shore with the treasure she’d stolen from the ship. 

Again, she closed her mouth to hum, but this time Thorin was not drawn in. He leaned back in his seat, stretching out a foot and kicking the table, sending Dwalin’s ale sloshing over the wood. He ignored the applause and didn’t hear another word out of (Y/N)’s mouth until he looked up to see her standing above him. Balin had moved to her seat next to Fíli and now the only empty chair in the tavern was the one next to Thorin. She sat in it.

Others within earshot congratulated her, complimenting her voice and offering to buy her another ale.

Thorin grumbled. “How do we know that’s not your plan for us? To steal the gold from our home and run back to wherever you came from?” he asked.

Her brows flew up, accentuating her glowing eyes. “You’ll just have to trust me.” She stood, taking a pair of ales off a passing tray and setting them on the table. She winked and pulled a few coins from her tunic for the server. She put Thorin’s mug straight into his hand before hitting the brim of her own against his. “Cheers, King.”


End file.
